For instance, the pictures there showed some kind of white chicklet ring in the main needle spring, whereas mine was just a spring. I'm not 100% sure what it does, but I guess that I've been running without it for all this time so it couldn't hurt.

Click to expand...

The DR650 also uses a lower spring seat. Suzuki calls it a "ring" and its part number is 13331-12D00. Without it, the needle will rattle and the slide spring preload will be reduced.

Did you inspect the float needle, slide guide, emulsion tube, jet needle, and slide for wear?

With the needle having been allowed to rattle around like that, I would be most concerned about emulsion tube, jet needle, and slide needle hole wear.

The DR650 also uses a lower spring seat. Suzuki calls it a "ring" and its part number is 13331-12D00. Without it, the needle will rattle and the slide spring preload will be reduced.

Did you inspect the float needle, slide guide, emulsion tube, jet needle, and slide for wear?

With the needle having been allowed to rattle around like that, I would be most concerned about emulsion tube, jet needle, and slide needle hole wear.

How many miles are there on the carburetor?

Regards,

Derek

Click to expand...

The bike has 10600 miles on it, but I don't know how many of those were without that ring. The PO said he pit a DJ kit in there so it might have happened then. I didn't see any kind of noticeable wear on my Carb parts that made me concerned. What exactly should I be looking for? I'll try to find that ring online somewhere.

If the jet needle does not have more than one clip groove, it's not a DJ needle. Is the white needle spacer installed under the clip? If so, is it round, without a notch or being d-shaped?

I didn't see any kind of noticeable wear on my Carb parts that made me concerned. What exactly should I be looking for?

Click to expand...

The rubber tip of the float needle should be inspected under magnification. It should perfectly conical, with no witness line evident where it was contacting the seat. If any evidence is visible, or if there is a gap between the bottom edge of the rubber tip and the aluminum portion of the needle, if the plunger is stuck, or if the plunger return spring is sacked out, the needle should be replaced. Not doing so means that the float valve is leaking, or will begin leaking soon.

Emulsion tube wear generally sets in rapidly when the slide guide has worn .010" or more. The way to tell is to measure the depth of the depressions that are located in the bottom corners, concentric to the bore. If they are .010" deep or less, the slide guide should be replaced. '96 and up DR650 emulsion tubes are nickel plated, and so a bit more wear resistant than those found on previous models or KTMs. I don't know how thick the plating is, but if the nickel has worn away to expose the brass, it's definitely time to replace. Replace the slide if the lift hole area has been increased over stock, if there is vertical grooving on the downstream side, or if the needle hole is enlarged and/or ovaled.

See (scroll down for description and links. Click image for high-res view):

Well, it looks like I'm going to be pulling the carb apart again this evening to check this all out. The needle does have a white spacer on it, and I think it was pretty much perfectly round. At least, nothing stuck out in my memory of it. Is the "float needle" that large needle in the slide?
Actually,. I might be better off waiting until I get home to ask questions since I can't check out the pictures at work. Thanks for the info dump, though. It's much appreciated.

If the jet needle does not have more than one clip groove, it's not a DJ needle. Is the white needle spacer installed under the clip? If so, is it round, without a notch or being d-shaped?The rubber tip of the float needle should be inspected under magnification. It should perfectly conical, with no witness line evident where it was contacting the seat. If any evidence is visible, or if there is a gap between the bottom edge of the rubber tip and the aluminum portion of the needle, if the plunger is stuck, or if the plunger return spring is sacked out, the needle should be replaced. Not doing so means that the float valve is leaking, or will begin leaking soon.

Emulsion tube wear generally sets in rapidly when the slide guide has worn .010" or more. The way to tell is to measure the depth of the depressions that are located in the bottom corners, concentric to the bore. If they are .010" deep or less, the slide guide should be replaced. '96 and up DR650 emulsion tubes are nickel plated, and so a bit more wear resistant than those found on previous models or KTMs. I don't know how thick the plating is, but if the nickel has worn away to expose the brass, it's definitely time to replace. Replace the slide if the lift hole area has been increased over stock, if there is vertical grooving on the downstream side, or if the needle hole is enlarged and/or ovaled.

See (scroll down for description and links. Click image for high-res view):

The float needle is a small brass needle with a rubber cone shaped tip on the pivoting end of the float.

Click to expand...

Umm...I didn't see anything like that when I pulled my carb. Does it go into something? Like would it have maybe stayed inside of one of the many holes in the carb? I know the bike ran great after I put everything together, so I'm kind of curious what else I may have missed.

Was out playing Tag-O-Rama last Friday. Last pic of this bike in "street attire" Turned 20,000 miles that afternoon.
Now she goes back to knobbies a smaller mirror and a 14 tooth sprocket. The tankbag will stay for the first dirt ride for evaluation purposes. Any problems and it comes off

Click to expand...

I hate a tank bag off pave. Any time you need to get forward while standing it impedes your movement and can cause some bad hill climb out comes.

Umm...I didn't see anything like that when I pulled my carb. Does it go into something? Like would it have maybe stayed inside of one of the many holes in the carb? I know the bike ran great after I put everything together, so I'm kind of curious what else I may have missed.

Click to expand...

To remove the float needle, you have to separate the float from the cage. When you put it back together, using a float height too, set the float height to 14.7mm.

To remove the float needle, you have to separate the float from the cage. When you put it back together, using a float height too, set the float height to 14.7mm.

Regards,

Derek

Click to expand...

Okay. I think that might be where it is then. When I removed the float, I pulled that tall column thing that was on one side, and then I pull the other side out where it was all flat down one edge. It all came up at the same time, and nothing fell off it, so I just assumed it was all one piece. If I get some time this weekend, I'm going to take it back off the bike and see about doing a more thorough examination.

Oh, and I went ahead and looked up that missing part from the spring on Bike Bandit. It's only $7.00, so I might as well go ahead and grab that.

Look in the BST-40 bible thread, shows the needle and float together in one pic,looks to be aluminum in ours, but still the little rubber tip.

Click to expand...

The BST Bible was what I went off of. That was where I noticed that my spring was missing a part. I just didn't see where to get at that float needle thing. After many frustrating experiences, I've learned better than to try forcing small, plastic parts around. Now that I know they come apart, however, I can check them out. I'm also looking at getting a TM40 for this bike before too long anyways, so this might all be a moot point, but it's always good to learn.

Lucky you
I have a plan to turn my yellow-that-used-to-be-white IMS tank white again. I found that using a scotchbrite pad with soft scrub with bleach helped quite a bit.....I just didn't want to spend 24 hours scrubbiing on it to get the best results. So I'm going to get some scotchbrite type pads for my electric drill, along with the softcrub, and use a slower speed to scrub the tank beyond belief.
Believe me that sob is going to be white again

The BST Bible was what I went off of. That was where I noticed that my spring was missing a part. I just didn't see where to get at that float needle thing. After many frustrating experiences, I've learned better than to try forcing small, plastic parts around. Now that I know they come apart, however, I can check them out. I'm also looking at getting a TM40 for this bike before too long anyways, so this might all be a moot point, but it's always good to learn.

Ohhh! Yeah, I saw that part. I guess I just need to pull it out and check it for wear. So I guess I must have put something back together a little incorrectly. I thought it was running well, but now it has a very rough idle if you're not on the choke and pops like crazy on decel. I'm going to order that clip for my spring, and I guess I need to fiddle with my fuel mixture screw. I thought I had measured two full turns, though I could just be a quarter turn or so off when I reset it. Do you back the screw out to richen the mixture a bit?